Goodbye
by xcountrygurlx
Summary: They just got back together, it isn't supposed to be goodbye yet. Their time hasn't run out yet, he promised her they had time and now this happens.
1. Chapter 1

Ezra's P.O.V.

I rolled over and reached for her familiar touch, but it wasn't there. It hadn't been there in months. She was gone. The bed was cold where she once slept. A piece of my heart ached at the loss. It might be easier if she really was gone, but she wasn't. I still had to see her everyday, third period. She would hardly look at me anymore. It was torture for both of us.

I missed her so much it hurt, and I didn't think I was going to make it another day without her. I knew she wouldn't be awake, but my impulse got the best of me. I dialed the familiar number, which I had dialed many times the past few months, but for the first time, I pressed send.

It rang a few times, and I was starting to panic. When she woke in the morning, she would see that I called. Do I leave a message or just hang up? My thoughts were interrupted when the last thing I expected happened; she picked up.

"Hello?" She whispered.

"Hi." I said slowly, my embarrassment melted away at the sound of her voice.

"I'm sorry to wake you up." I began.

"I was already up." She said shortly. I couldn't tell what she was feeling, she didn't sound mad, but she wasn't overly friendly. Neither of us had been, we had ended thing mutually because it was getting too hard to keep us a secret, but we were both hurt.

"I just needed to hear your voice again."

"Ezra…you shouldn't have called." She trailed off.

"But I wanted to. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't call you and tell you this."

"Tell me what?"

"Tell you how miserable I am without you, and how heartbroken I am. To tell you how much I miss you and how I think we made a mistake ending things. I want you to know that I still think about you every day and every night. You think we ran out of time, but the reality of it is that our time didn't run out. Eventually, yes, everyone's time runs out, but this isn't our time. You and I are both here, so there is no reason for us not to be together. I can't live without you Aria, and I needed you to know that."

The line was silent. Then, I heard a click. She had hung up. I guess I didn't blame her, it wasn't fair of me to spring that on her in the middle of the night. I sighed and put the phone down. I couldn't help but let a few tears slip from the corners of my eyes. I swung my legs over the side of my bed and stood up. I went out into the living room and opened the large window that went out onto the fire escape. I sat in the window frame and felt the cool October air wash over me. I wanted to go back to the night I met her and not move bar stools next to her. I ruined her life. I never should have gotten involved with her when I figured out how young she was. But she was so intellectual, she had the soul of someone much older. She understood me like no one ever had. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I heard a noise inside the apartment, almost like a knock at the door, but I knew that was impossible. It was almost 2 in the morning. I went back inside the apartment and I heard it again. I was positive it was a knock at the door this time. I went to the door and opened it, hoping it wasn't Mrs. Rodriguez from next door locking herself out again.

"Hi." She said, her arms wrapped around herself, holding the scarf tied around her neck. I stood paralyzed for a moment.

"Hi." I responded, a bit confused. I opened the door wider and she came in. I shut it behind her.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't have come, it's late."

"But I wanted to." She turned around and faced me, repeating the line I had used on the phone just a while ago.

"I have one thing to say to you, and then if you want me to go, I will."

"Okay." I said nervously.

"I love you Ezra Fitz. I love everything about you, even the things I don't like. I want to be your forever, and it's as simple as that." The tears brimmed around her eyes. I stood there for a moment, taking in her beauty as she stood there in her pajamas. Then I moved quickly.

Before I knew it, my hands were in her hair and her hands were behind my neck. I picked her up and kissed her with more passion than ever before.

"I missed you so much." I muttered between kisses. She pulled away.

"I've been waiting months for that call." She smiled and I did the same. I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight. I was trying to make up for all of the months that I had been without her.

"Want to get lost with me for a few hours?" I asked and she nodded enthusiastically. I grabbed a sweatshirt and my keys. We piled in my car and I pulled out onto the road. I drove until I didn't know where I was. It didn't matter though, because I was with Aria.

"So what now? What do we do this time?"

"There's something you should know, Ar. I resigned from Rosewood, tomorrow's my last day. Or today I guess."

"What do you mean?"

"I got the job at Hollis, it starts next week. So we can be together now, in public, if that's what you want." I pulled over.

"You're not a teacher at Rosewood anymore?" I shook my head no and she grabbed my face and pulled it towards hers.

"Of course that's what I want!" She exclaimed.

"Maybe we should give it a few weeks though? So it doesn't look like we were hiding something?" She agreed. We drove around until I was sure I wouldn't be able to find my way home.

"What time is it? I asked her, and she told me it was 5:42. I pulled over again."

"Why are we stopping?"

"Because we're going to watch the sunrise." I said and got out of the car. I got a blanket out of the trunk and Aria joined me. We sat on the back of my car, wrapped in the blanket, and watched the sunrise.

"Alright, we should get you back before your parents realize you're gone. I kissed her nose."

"Yeah, that wouldn't be a great way to break the news to them." She laughed. Her parents knew that we had been together, and while they didn't support it, they didn't forbid it.

We drove in remote silence until I pulled up in front of her house. She kissed me one last time before getting out of the car and climbing up a tree to get back in her window. She waved to me and I pulled away. I stopped by the apartment quickly to shower and change. I drove to the Rosewood Grille and got a cup of coffee to go on the way. I yawned the whole way to school, probably due to my lack of sleep the night before. I parked and walked into the school building and made my way to my classroom. There was still about 25 minutes until first period started. I wrote in large letters GOODBYE on the board. Today was goodbye for me, and I was a bit too excited about it.

First and second period went well, but they were all sad to see me go. I was going to miss them too. The starting bell for third period went off and I took attendance.

"No Aria today?" I asked the class which held her three best friends. They shook their heads no. Lucky, I guess she got to catch up on her sleep. I marked her absent and then started class.

"I'm sure some of you have heard already, but for those of you who haven't, today is my last day here at Rosewood. I got a job at Hollis college that was just too good to turn down. So I brought in some snacks and things so we can have a bit of a goodbye party." I told the class. People got some food and then sat back down in their seats and fraternized with each other, while I talked to a few students.

"Oh my god." Hanna said loudly, everyone looked up from what they were doing.

"We have to go." Spencer said with tears in her eyes.

"What's going on?" I asked as they stood up. They made their way to my desk, along with Emily.

"Aria was hit by a car on her way to school this morning. She's in the hospital." The class let out a collective gasp. I tried to hold in my emotions.

"Okay, yes, go." I signed them a pass to leave and wrote on the back of it 'call me when you know something.' Emily nodded at me and they left. The class was unusually loud now due to the news that just broke.

"Alright guys, I know you're all worried about Aria, but let's try to keep it at a manageable level, okay?" I said and walked next door.

"Mrs. Richards, do you mind watching my class for the rest of the period before they get a sub in? It's a family emergency." I told her and she nodded. I walked back into the class and gathered my things.

"Alright guys, I have to go now because I have a scheduling meeting for my new job, so Mrs. Richards is going to watch you guys." I lied because I didn't want them to be suspicious.

"But thank you for being great students, and I can't wait to see what you all do with your life." I bid them ado and tried not to worry too much about Aria. She could be fine; it wasn't worth worrying about before I knew anything. I drove to the hospital, I couldn't wait until I heard from Emily, I had to see her. I parked and ran into the emergency department. I saw Aria's parents, Mike, and Emily, Spencer, and Hanna.

"Ezra, you shouldn't be here." Ella stood up once she saw me.

"But I want to be." I responded quietly.

"You two aren't even together anymore." Mike retorted.

"We are. We got back together last night, I resigned from Rosewood. I got a job teaching at Hollis." Ella sighed and sat back down.

"Let him stay. He needs to be here." Byron finally spoke, which surprised me. "He loves her and if she doesn't make it then she should have all of the people that love her and that she loves here. He deserves to say goodbye too." He said solemnly.

"Byron, you can't think like that, you have to stay positive."

"I'm just being realistic Ella." He spat and stormed off. I took a seat across from Ella and pondered what he said. I deserve to say goodbye. Today was supposed to be my goodbye, not hers. I deserve to finally be with her, our time isn't supposed to run out yet.


	2. Chapter 2

"You can go see her now Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery." The doctor said as he walked away. They followed him, leaving me, Mike, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer to sit in the waiting room. I was trying to process everything he had said, but my brain was fragmented. Head trauma, contusions, collapsed lung, intubated; it was all too much for me. The doctor said that she would hopefully make a full recovery, but it was too soon to tell. She would have to wake up first. I sunk back into the chair I had occupied for the last five hours. The girls were all crying, but I had yet to shed a tear. I was in shock. It hadn't hit me yet that my girlfriend was in a hospital bed unconscious, it wasn't real, but it was about to be. Byron and Ella came back around the hall.

"Ezra, going against probably our best judgement, do you want to see her? We know that she would want to see you." I just nodded and they pointed out which room was hers. The lights were out and I wondered if her parents were going to join me. They left me alone though, to my relief. I pushed the door open and stepped inside before shutting it quietly behind me. I moved a few inches into the room and I saw her.

She looked so small in that bed. She had bruises all over her face and her arms that I could see. She had scrapes on both elbows and stitches behind her ear. Her right knee was in a brace. She looked peaceful though, like she was just asleep. I pulled a chair up to her bedside and sat down. I gently grabbed her small hand, which was covered in dried blood.

We sat in silence for a few minutes before I mustered up the courage to say something.

"You know Ar, we talked yesterday about us still having time. Our time isn't supposed to run out yet, so I'm going to need you to wake up so we can be together again. I just got you back, you've got to wake up so we can spend forever together. I need you Aria. Don't let all of this be for nothing. I want to be with you forever and we can have that now, just as soon as you wake up. I'll be waiting for you, I'll be here." I squeezed her hand gently. I sighed and kissed her forehead before leaving the room. Even though I wanted to be selfish with her, I knew that I couldn't be because other people wanted to see her. The girls went in after me, leaving me with the Montgomery's.

"I'm going to get a coffee, do you guys want anything?" I offered, but they shook their heads no. I returned a few minutes later and they were sitting in silence. Ella had been crying, and Byron was holding her. Mike was sitting in the corner, not talking to anyone.

"Byron, what are we going to do? We're supposed to leave next week for your semester in Iceland! There's no way that she'll be able to fly, she may not even be out of the hospital. I'll have to stay home with her." I overheard Ella sob to Byron.

"I can't be without you for three months Ella, I just won't go." He responded.

"It's the opportunity of a lifetime! You can't not go, she's going to be okay, the doctor said so."

"We'll figure something out." He reassured her. I wanted to say something, but I knew that I would be risking my temporary welcomed presence at the hospital. I decided to wait until Aria woke up to suggest that she stay with me.

I stayed at the hospital until 8, making food runs for her parents and doing anything I could to help out. The girls left around six, but promised to come tomorrow after school. I told them I would keep them updated. They sent Mike to a friend's house for the night and soon it was just the four us of; Ella, Byron, Aria, and myself.

"Ezra, you should go home, it's been a long day." Ella suggested when I yawned.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to stay. I want to be here when she wakes up." I asked. Ella looked hesitantly at Byron.

"It's all the same waiting Ella. He's either going to wait at home or wait here. I don't have a problem with if." Byron's recent approval of me was uplifting, even if the cause was due to his daughter almost being killed.

"Well if you're staying, would you mind if we left? We'll be back in the morning, but we both have to work tomorrow unless things here get worse." Ella asked.

"No, that's fine. I'll let you know if there's any change." I promised as they stood up. They thanked me and left the room, leaving me alone with Aria again.

"It's just us now baby. You and me." I smiled, trying to be positive. I turned the television on, but soon fell asleep.

I was a light sleeper, so when I felt her begin to stir, I opened my eyes. I wasn't in a deep sleep anyway. I watched with hope as she twitched and eventually, opened her eyes. I sighed of relief.

"Thank god." I said as I gently kissed her. She opened her mouth to talk, but she couldn't. I poured her a glass of water and held it up to her lips. A few gulps later, she tried again.

"What happened?"

"You were hit by a car this morning. It's 3 in the morning now, I should let your doctor know, and call your parents." I started to rattle off.

"Wait, Ezra." I looked up at her.

"Just give me a minute with you before all the chaos. Please. What's wrong with me?"

"You were walking to school and you turned a corner and the driver didn't have time to see you. You have a concussion and a torn meniscus in your knee. You have some stitches behind your ear, and they had to repair one of your lungs with surgery. But you're going to be okay. How do you feel?"

"Like I was hit by a truck." She smiled to the best of her ability, but winced when she did.

"What can I do for you?" I asked her.

"Nothing, I just want it to be you and me for a second." She said, closing her eyes.

"You scared me, I was so worried about you."

"I'm okay, I'll be fine," She smiled at me, trying to readjust herself, only to cause more pain. A cry escaped her lips.

"I hope." She added.

"Don't move a muscle, I'm going to get your doctor, okay?" She nodded. I walked out into the hallway and found a nurse and told her to page Aria's doctor. I went back to the room and sat with her.

"Call your parents, they're worried sick about you," I instructed, dialing the number for her. I put the phone on speaker phone and it rang twice before Ella answered.

"Ezra, what's wrong?" She said panicked.

"Why don't you let your daughter tell you?" I said before Aria said hi. Her mom was ecstatic that she was awake already and told her that they would be right in.

"Mom, I'm really tired, I'm probably going to be asleep by the time you get here, it's fine, really. Just come in the morning, I'll be fine until then. Ezra's here, I'm good." Aria persuaded.

"Are you sure honey?" Ella asked, almost already back to sleep.

"Yeah, I would rather it this way anyway so I can be awake when you guys come in the morning." They hung up and the doctor came in. He asked me to step outside, which I did. He came out about 10 minutes later and told me her vitals seemed normal and that he would check again in the morning.

"I can't believe I missed your last day at Rosewood." She said when I came back in the room.

"It wasn't much of a day, more like two periods, but it's okay, I'll make it up to you someday, I promise." I smiled and kissed her forehead.

"You need to rest, get your strength back. I'll be here when you wake up," I continued and she nodded before shutting her eyes.

I was wakened when the sun shined in my eyes through the window in her room. I checked my phone, and it was 8:30. Aria was awake by 9, and they were bringing her breakfast. While she was waiting, there was a knock on the door. I glanced and saw that it was a police officer. I was quick on my toes, and let the man in before grabbing my jacket.

"Well Aria, like I said, I'm glad you're okay, and the whole class is thinking about you. Don't worry about your makeup work, just focus on getting better."

"Thanks Mr. Fitz. Tell everyone thanks for thinking about me." Aria played along and I left, leaving her with the police officer. It probably wouldn't look good if the police knew I was here all night, with a student of mine. I made my way to the cafeteria to hide out for a while. I grabbed a banana and a coffee and ate it before texting Aria's mom.

_She's giving her police statement now so I'm in the cafeteria if you guys come and I'm not there._

I got a response a few minutes later that read:

_K. Thanks_

I decided to run home quick and shower. I returned to the hospital about an hour later to find the girls in Aria's room and her parents gone.

"So what's the plan for after you blow this popsicle stand?" Hanna asked as she sucked on a lollipop.

"Who knows at this point. My parents are suppose to leave at the end of the week, but they won't let me stay alone, even though I'm fine."

"You could always stay with that fine boyfriend of yours." Emily teased, eying me in the corner.

"I would drive him nuts in two hours." She laughed.

"You could never. I'd be happy to have you stay with me, but good luck convincing your parents of that." I peaked up from my book.

"You should try your hardest on that one." Spencer winked at Aria, who laughed.

"You know girls, you should at least try to whisper. It's like you're not even trying to be subtle anymore." I joked and they laughed.

"Well we should bet back to school, let us know if there are any updates, alright? We love you." Spencer leaned down and hugged Aria. They left the room, leaving Aria and me.

"So how are you feeling?" I asked, pulling my chair towards her bed.

"Better than yesterday, but still pretty sore. I just want to be in your bed, with you, holding me. Then I'll feel better."

"Well I can't do that for you, but I can hold you, if that's what you want." She smiled and nodded before scooting over to one side of her hospital bed. I gently climbed in next to her and she snuggled her head on top of my chest. I wrapped both my arms around her and she took a deep breath.

"Take a rest babe, I'll be here when you wake up." I assured her. I was relieved when I heard her breathing deepen and become a regular pattern.


End file.
